Adjustable hat form



23, L. KALVIN ADJUSTABLE HAT FORM Filed May 11, -l954 BY 2 5 AT. ORNEY$Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES ATET OFFICE ADJUSTABLE HAT FORMApplication May 11, 1934, Serial No. 725,029

6 Claims.

This invention relates in general to forms for supporting hats, whetherfor the purpose of storing, cleaning, shaping or the like, and one ofits important objects is to provide a form which is readily adapted togive the proper support to hats of different sizes.

' In the attainment of the principal object of this invention, theconstruction involves the hinging together of two complementary formsections at the bottom, and the provision of a resilient articulationbetween the sections at points above such axis of hinging, whereby thetwo sections are rocked on their hinge and caused to move away from eachother at the top to automatically adjust themselves to the size of thecrown or equivalent portion of a hat applied to them. Such resilientarticulation may advantageously be arranged so that it may readily begripped and sprung inwardly to reduce the size of the hat form whileplacing the hat thereon, and thereafter released to automatically expandthe hat form.

Anillustrative embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of thehat form with a hat mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the hat form,illustrating the resilient expanding action of the articulation by whichthe two form sections are urged apart.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a resilient spreader which maybe employed as a part of the resilient articulation for the purposedescribed; and

Figure 5 is a detail view showing fragments of the overlapping portionsof the two form sections with their respective clasp receptacles to bedescribed.

Referring in detail to said drawing, the expansible hat form comprisestwo complementary form sections it and II of generally rotund shape ordesign, adapted to partially telescope one within the other on agenerally transverse plane. These form sections are preferably of thinsheet material such as stiff buckram, fiber or other suit able materialmore or less permanently shaped but having sufficient flexibility toconform one with another on the overlapping surfaces. Such form sectionsare hinged together on a lower axis, as illustrated for example by meansof the snap fasteners I2, I3, which permit the two sections to rock uponthe axis thus formed. Such form of hinge or pivot is preferred aslending itself to ready assembly and disassembly of the sections whendesired, although the invention inits broader aspect is not limited tothis particular type of hinge joint. With the parts hinged together near5' the bottom, it will be obvious that the rocking of the parts uponsuch a fulcrum or axis will cause an expansion or contraction of thecircumference of the form near the top, so that hats of different sizesmay be accommodated. With this purpose in view, I apply to the upperportions of the form sections l0 and l l a resilient interconnection orarticulation by which the sections are urged apart, and the constructionemployed preferably is designed so that it may be grasped in the hand tocontract the form at the time of placing the hat thereon. Av convenientmeans for this purpose is illustrated by way of example as comprising apair of socket plates l4, l5, one in each section, adapted to receivethe ends l6, ll of a resilient brace I 8 which may conveniently be inthe form of a bent wire of springy material such as for example harddrawn brass or the like. As illustrated in Figure 4, this resilientbrace is limited in its opening movement by the convolution I!) whichextends from one of the legs and. embraces the other, and thus acts as adefinite stop and guide without interfering with the compression of thetwo ends I6 and I! toward each other. These ends I6, I l are preferablypresented in oppo- 30 site directions although parallel to each other,so that, having been inserted in opposite directions in their respectivesocket plates l4, l5, there is no danger of their becoming accidentallydisengaged therefrom. The telescopic overlap of the two form sectionswith respect to each other tends to prevent transverse disalinement ofthese socket plates, and thus contributes largely to such security ofthe engagement of the clasp ends I6, I! with their socket plates l4, l5.On the other hand, the slight resilience or flexibility of the materialof the form sections admits of such transverse displacement of thesocket plates when urged by the operator in the act of assembling theparts. The ends l6, I! are preferably round in section, and similarlythe sockets of the plates l 4. l 5 are round, so that the brace endsturn freely in the sockets during the flexing action for expending andcontracting the hat form.

The particular type of resilient articulation and the particularconstruction of the flexible brace shown and described are preferred asspecific features of the invention, although they are to be regarded asillustrative of a broad principle of 55 construction which might beembodied in numerous specific forms.

In general, it will be noted that the entire assembly may bedisassembled and closely packed for storage and shipment, the twocomplementary form sections nested together so that a considerablenumber may be closely packed in a relatively small space. The yieldingnature of the material preferred, such as buckram or the like, admits ofsatisfactory pairs being constructed of the same form and dimensions, asone may be easily telescoped within the other. It is pointed out,however, that the socket plate or equivalent member of one section of apair is advantageously placed near the edge of the section, whereas asimilar,

part on the other member of the pair should be set at a suitabledistance from the edge, to admit of the two members of the pairoverlapping without one of the socket plates or the like being coveredby the material of the other member of the pair. The position of thereceptacles or socket members must obviously also bear a proper relationwith the spacing of the engaging portions of the clasp member.

I claim:-

1. An expansible hat form comprising in combination, a pair ofcomplementary rotund hollow form sections partially telescoping onewithin the other with their convex surfaces outward, snap fastenersfitted in the overlapping lower portions of said form sections toconstitute a hinge, and means for resiliently rocking the upper portionsof said form sections outwardly upon said hinge.

2. An expansible hat form comprising in combination, a pair ofcomplementary rotund form sections of sheet-like material hingedtogether adjacent the bottom of said hat form, each of said formsections being provided with a socket adjacent the top of said hat form,and a yieldable brace detachably suspended from said sockets, saidyieldable brace being constructed to counteract the mutual approach ofsaid form sections.

3. An expansible hat form comprising relatively movable anterior andposterior rotundate complementary form. sections having overlappingmarginal wall portions of inverted substantially U- shaped form in themedial transverse plane of said hat form, means for pivotally connectingsaid marginal wall portions near the bottom and on opposite sides of themedial longitudinal plane of the hat form, and a resilient bracecomprising opposite end portions separately pivoted in the crownportions of said complementary form sections and a coiled intermediateportion tending to separate said end portions substantially in saidmedial longitudinal plane.

4. An expansible hat form comprising relatively movable anterior andposterior hollow half-form ections having slidably contactingoverlapping top and side wall portions, means for pivotally connectingthe slidably contacting side wall portions of said form sections onopposite sides of said hat form, and yieldable means depending from andseparately connected to the top walls of said half-form sections foryieldably separating said form sections.

5. An expansible hat form comprising relatively movable hollow formsections having slidablycontacting overlapping top wall portions, aresilient brace comprising branches separately pivoted in the respectivetop wall portions of said form sections and depending therefrom,overlapping side wall portions on opposite sides of said hat form andmeans for pivotally connecting said overlapping side wall portions oneach side of the hat form, said side wall portions being in slidablecontact for preventing transverse disalinement of said hollow formsections.

6. An expansible hat form comprising compleb mentary rotund hollow formsections having overlapping wall portions along their adjoining edges,said complementary form sections being constructed to form an opening atthe bottom for access to the interior of the hat form, a pivotal 3

